Two awesome deals! MonkiSee & Signing Time

 I really like the MonkiSee early reading DVD's & was fortunate enough to be able to review them back in August.  Here is a link to the review that I did:   MonkiSee DVD review

They are having a $10.00 DVD sale on these titles:

• Baby's First Words
• All About Colors
• All About Shapes
• Action Words
• Memoflix Volume 1
• Memoflix Volume 2
• A Guide to Teaching Babies to Read

Use promotion code 1/2 Off during checkout. 

Here is a link to their website: MonkiSee DVD's

Signing Time is also having a sale.  Save 40% on orders of $40.00 or more today & Monday.

Happy Christmas shopping!

Look What I Can Do All By Myself!

Today, I had a little time to waste while waiting for winter tires to be put on my truck.  I really didn't need much for groceries, but thought this would be a good time to try out an idea that I had read about recently.  I'm not 100% sure, but I think I might have read about this idea on Geraldine's blog The Down Syndrome Action Plan.  Today was K's first, mostly independent shopping trip. It was a great way to incorporate reading into an activity which required thinking, memory & learning new skills.

I didn't think of this ahead of time, so I quickly scribbled down 

a few items on a scrap piece of paper. Here is her list:

 

....and off she goes! Sorry for the terrible picture.  Next time, 

I'll have to remember to take more than one. I think the little carts are adorable!

Some of the items were a difficult for K to reach, so I did help a little.  Next time, I'll be prepared with a list for her ahead of time that included things that are easier for her to reach, but all in all, it was a great first experience.

Always thinking!

The other day my father in law had to have an ultrasound.  K was told about this, because we had to explain that we couldn't go to Grandma & Grandpa's for dinner as planned because he had gotten a sudden phone call about having this test done.   She must have been thinking about this, because the next morning she said "Grandpa is a good boy"  Yes, I agreed, unsure of why she was saying this. "Grandpa is a good boy having a test done."  Now, it clicked.  K is not comfortable being touched by strangers & we are working on this, so often tell her what a good girl she is after she has tolerated being checked out by a doctor - thankfully she is very healthy.  She must have been concerned about those doctors checking out Grandpa & assumed that he behaved well for it :)  The next part of the conversation showed me that she was really thinking about it & looking for a solution.  She asked "Grandpa goes to Mrs. A?  This is the cranio sacral therapist (RN as well as massage therapist) that K goes to.  Mrs. A always makes K feel better, and her sisters have gone occasionally too, especially after sports injuries, so I guess she was sure that this would help Grandpa too, rather than go to the doctor who does scary tests!

I Did It!

I wrote this post on Nov 1st, but somehow must have forgotten to hit publish post.  Ooops.  It's a little old  now, but I thought I would publish it anyways, if only for the adorable picture! 

31 for 21 back to back with the Canadian Down Syndrome Awareness Week!  It's been a long haul, but I managed to do a post every day for each - that's 38 consecutive blog posts.  Well actually, there were a few extra, so probably around 40!  At first, it was great to finish a lot of drafts that I had been working on, but I found that as the days went on, I wasn't able to get to the lengthier drafts that I have been working on.  So I be posting a little less often, but will hopefully be catching up on the posts that require a little more time & research to complete.  I am so ready for a break, but I'll be back soon! I'll leave you with a cute picture of my cowgirl taken early this fall.

Awesome Website for Encyclopedic Knowledge (Doman Bit Cards)

This is not part of K's program, but she really loves this sort of thing, so the other day, I made her some bit cards just for fun.

I found this website called a - z animals - it is great for making bits! It has pictures as well as all kinds of information of each animal.  I actually haven't been using the pics too much, because it is easier to use google images & find a more clear, concise picture without lots of background clutter, but the information is so easy to cut, paste, & reorganize & use for the 10 pieces of information on the back of the bit.

They have an animal of the day, so if  you were doing a program including this, you could even make one card each day based on that animal.  It can't get much easier than that!

If anyone has a good website of pictures that can be printed off in an 8.5 X 11 size & still print really clearly, let me know please :)

Fresh Homemade Almond Milk Mmmmmmmmmmmm........................

We have been using less & less dairy over the last few years.  My middle 2 girls are lactose intolerant & although K isn't showing any signs of lactose intolerance, I know kids with Down syndrome tend to have a higher incidence of problems with dairy. I am also becoming more careful about processed foods & trying to use more raw milk.  As an aside, don't you think it is interesting that my 2 middle 2 daughters who can't drink a glass of pasteurized milk without consequences are able to tolerate a large glass of raw milk with no problem? Anyways, back on topic now, it is difficult to find raw milk around here most of the time, so we need an alternative. 

A while back, I found this simple looking recipe for almond milk.  I've been meaning to try it, but am always so busy, that I kept putting it off.  I even recommended it to a couple of other people, but just didn't get around to it myself.  Finally, yesterday, I decided to try it.  It was so simple and delicious!  I should have tried it ages ago! 

 

 Mmmmmmmmm...............................

Here is the link to the recipe I used in case you are interested in trying it yourself.

A paper animal jungle

 K got  book last year for Christmas, which was full of cute little paper folding activities.   The book is done now & I haven't been able to find a different one, so I've been searching the internet for some.  I came across this site: paper folding activities  It is full of adorable little animals to fold.  I printed off a set for each of my 2 younger girls.  We will probably do one a day with K, to make the last a while, but KJ had a great time this afternoon, creating a whole menagerie!

 

This is a similar book to the one that K got for Christmas last year.

These animals will keep us going for a couple of weeks, but after that we will need to find more, so if you know of any other similar sites, please let me know by leaving a comment:)